2016 has featured a number of major events that have affected, and will continue to affect, the nonprofit sector. Some might describe 2016 as a difficult year, featuring a long, turbulent election in the United States and unexpected results that have left many groups, including nonprofits themselves and the communities they serve, anxious and uncertain about their futures. Nonprofits such as the ACLU, the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, among others, saw record surges in donations following the election. On a judicial front, an empty seat on the Supreme Court resulted in the Court unable to decide on critical and controversial issues like immigration, and even though the Court upheld an affirmative action program at the University of Texas, the future of affirmative action and other major policy issues will likely depend on the next Supreme Court appointment. Abroad, Britons voted to leave the European Union, triggering financial and political uncertainty there as well. Here is a list of our 10 significant news events of 2016 affecting the nonprofit sector in the United States and a few links regarding each:
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The Election and President-Elect Donald Trump
The 2016 Elections – Impact on the Work of Charitable Nonprofits [National Council of Nonprofits]
Both Clinton and Trump Would Reduce Tax Incentives for Charitable Giving [Tax Policy Center]Trump’s White House Victory Could Spell Money Woes for Charities [Chronicle of Philanthropy]
Nonprofits See Unprecedented Support Following Trump’s Win [Chronicle of Philanthropy]
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Brexit
Historic UK “Brexit” Vote Raises Countless Issues for Nonprofits, Civil Society [Nonprofit Quarterly]
What Lessons Does “Brexit” Hold for Social Innovators Worldwide? [Stanford Social Innovation Review]
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Dakota Access Pipeline
Dakota Pipeline Update: When Resistance Is a Matter of Protection [Nonprofit Quarterly]
American Indians Shouldn’t Get Shortchanged by Philanthropy [Chronicle of Philanthropy]
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Merrick Garland’s Nomination and the Empty Supreme Court Seat
Obama nominates Merrick Garland to Supreme Court [CNN]
The Supreme Court Needs a Ninth Justice Immediately [The Washington Post]
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Zika Epidemic
Zika Spread Prompts Reexamination of Public Policy Re: Women’s Health in South America [Nonprofit Quarterly]
Zika Is No Longer a Global Emergency, W.H.O. Says [New York Times]
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Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter & the Road Ahead [Nonprofit Quarterly]
How Philanthropy Can Show That Black Lives Matter [Chronicle of Philanthropy]
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Paris Global Climate Agreement
Landmark Paris Climate Pact to Take Effect in 30 Days [Climate Central]
100s of Businesses and Governments: Trump Should Uphold Climate Agreement [Nonprofit Quarterly]
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North Carolina “Bathroom Bill”
DOJ and North Carolina File Lawsuits over NC’s Controversial LGBT Law [Nonprofit Quarterly]
North Carolina Lawmakers Leave ‘Bathroom Bill’ in Place [The Washington Post]
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US Supreme Court Upholds Affirmative Action Program
Supreme Court Upholds Affirmative Action Program at University of Texas [New York Times]
Impact of Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling could reach K-12, higher ed [PBS]
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Continued Conflict in Syria
Starving in Place: Humanitarian Aid Still Blocked in Syria while Ceasefire Shaky [Nonprofit Quarterly]
7 Experts To Read On The Desperate Health Crisis In Syria [Huffington Post]
After Aleppo, what happens to Syria’s besieged towns? [Al Jazeera]
Editor’s Honorable Mentions:
Biggest Change to Nonprofit Financial Reporting in 20 Years Has Arrived [BDO Nonprofit Standard]
“The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has just released the Accounting Standards Update (ASU), Not-for-Profit Entities (Topic 958) – Presentation of Financial Statements of Not-for-Profit Entities, which you can find here. If you’ve been following our blog, you’ll know this marks the biggest change to nonprofit financial reporting in more than two decades.”
The Foreign NGO Law [ChinaSource]
“On January 1, 2017, China’s new Foreign NGO Management Law will go into effect, changing the landscape for foreign individuals and organizations working in China.”